Do you ever read a book and then end up telling others how good it was? If so put down here what you liked about it and the title so that others can also find a great read.

For fear of constantly repeating myself, I loved 'Chocolat' by Joanne Harris. I can't explain why, it's just a magical book and totally absorbs you into the story. It's the book I judge all other books against (and no, none have matched it). Buy it and love it!

Charlene x

Also repeating, I fear, but the first two books of the Stieg Larsson trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire, are fantastic. I've also just finished Freezing Point, by Tim Wilson, and The Anniversary Man by RJ Ellory - both fabulous.

Charlene - I'm a big Joanne Harris fan too. Think you should also read Blackberry Wine. It's not a sequel to Chocolat but part set in the same village in France, and includes some of the same characters (in small parts). It was the first JH book I ever read and loved it.
Janet

Thank you! I've just bought 'Five Quarters of the Orange'. I have to say I'm a little apprehensive because I've tried both 'Holy Fools' and 'Gentlemen and Players' and didn't like them. I will certainly give 'Blackberry Wine' a go though.

Charlene x

The Eden Seed by Damain Peck is a point in case. Others are the Graham Hancock books or, in another genre, the Harry Potter books...

I have recently read The Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society. It is worth while reading the book to discover just why it has such a strange title. The book though is really good, quite an easy read but very interesting. The book is set mainly on Guernsey just after the second world war and talks quite alot about the effect that the war had on Guernsey. I would definitely recomend it.

Loved the Guernsey book. Managed to be sweet without overdoing it. Thoroughly uplifting.

Am excited to see The Eden Seed on here - just waiting for Amazon to dispatch at the moment.

I loved David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas when that first came out. The best book I've read recently was The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas - simply couldn't put it down, despite some complex maths and a bit of existentialism!

C. Rucroft - if you haven't, you should read The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris. Follows on from Chocolat.

I keep thinking about getting the Guersey book with the funny title, think you've just swung it into favour with me.

I've read Lollipop Shoes. I liked it, but not a patch on Chocolat x

With regard to Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie, yes it is an OK read but remember that it was written by an American who only briefly visited the Island and was proofed by an Australian, therefore it contains innaccuracies does not really reflect what it was like to live through those years and the effect that the occupation had on the Islanders. To get a real indication of this you would need to read books written by the Islander's themselves of which there are many.

My favourite books of this year include The Hungry Ghosts by Ann Berry, Of Bees and Mist - Erick Setiawan, The Einstein Girl - Philip Sington, Sunnyside - Glen David Gold. If you like crime fiction with a difference then try Fred Vargas (French) and Arnaldur Indridason (Icelandic), I have recently become hooked on both of them anyone that like Henning Mankell should check them out.

I've just finished reading 'The Future Homemakers of America' and whilst I didn't expect to enjoy it, I loved it! It's a heartwarming book, initially set on an airbase in Norfolk with American airmen's wives, a British woman they befriend and the focus of friendships and families following the war- but there's some scandal in there too, as forty-odd years of friendships evolve. 'Peggy' is the narrator and she's a brilliant storyteller. It's bittersweet in places too and I couldn't put it down; a shame it took me so long to get around to reading it!

I also cannot recommend 'Ella Minnow Pea' by Mark Dunn highly enough. It's definitely the cleverest book I've ever read- a novel told in letters and the premise is brilliant. If you haven't heard of it, check it out- that's the one book of mine that I never see because it's always being borrowed by somebody. Infact, I may have to buy another copy, just so I always have it nearby!

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society has topped my recommendations list for practically forever so I'm ordering that one next as so many people seem to rate it! :)

Squeezing Melons Michaela Bradshaw squeezing melons - great made me laugh made me cry - wonderful!
Squeezing Melons

Since reading 'Education, Edukation, Edukashun,' I've not stopped smiling and recommending it all my friends. It's the funniest book I've read in ages. There are some reviews here: Education, Edukation, Edukashun

I bought the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society as the third book in a 3 for 2 offer, it was chosen randomly to make up the numbers and I ended up liking it much more than the two books that I had gone to buy. It may not be completely accurate but the characters just draw one in, I feel. I couldn't put it down and read it in a couple of days. I have been recommending it to everyone since, my mum has just finished reading it and she loved it too.

I also recommend Cloud Atlas, the Shadow of the Wind and the Book Thief every chance I get - I don't necessarily expect everyone to like them, but I feel that they are books that people should make their own minds up about.

I've mentioned it several times already, but I have to put in a word for Margaret Elphinstone's The Sea Road. It's the story of a real historical figure, Gudrid of Iceland, who was the first European woman in the Americas. It's got a marvellous sense of atmosphere and place - you really feel that it is being narrated by a 10th century woman and some of the scenes made me shiver with cold or feel the movement of the sea. Highly recommended (her other books, Voyageurs and Light, are also well worth reading, but The Sea Road is still outstanding IMHO).

"Mrs Fisher's Tulip" by new author Melanie Hughes. A bittersweet view of adult, life set in the sixties, through the eyes of a young girl. I read it in one go finishing at 4am. Then couldn't sleep for laughing. Sally's view of life through TV series and films is a captivating, evocative story that ranges from utterly charming to dark and unsettling. I hope there is a sequel soon.

Some more info on this author from google:

http://www.actorsandwriters.org/melanie.hughes/index.html

Ermmm... well, wow!

Mrs Fisher's Tulip

Down my local bookshop my friend there tells me that the graphic novelLogicomix: An Epic Search for Truth is doing quite well and causing a buzz. Whether this is everyones cup of tea or not though is questionable. My little sister always says that graphic novels is a polite way to say that you are reading a comic.